Hitching-strap.



T. SOHAFER.

HITGHING STRAP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 28, 1911. I

1,055,804, Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

WITNESSES nvmvron /15; I 7/?[00042' Si a/9&1?

Q. //1 M BY ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE SCHAFE-R, OF OLNEY, ILLINOIS.

HITCHING-STRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

Application filed December 28, 1911. Serial No. 668,352.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE SCHAFER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Olney, in the county of Richland and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in Hitching-Straps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in hitching straps, and has for its object the pro vision of a simple inexpensive device of the character specified, for permanent attachment to the harness, and by means of which the draft animal may be firmly secured to a post or the like.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of the halter in place, and in latched posi tion; Fig. 2 is a similar view with the halter in road position; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the halter detached; Fig. 4 is a front view of the plate; Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse section of the plate, and Fig. 6 is a side view of a modified form of connection for connecting the strap to the bridle.

The improvement comprises a hitching mem ber, consisting of a strap 1, which is provided at one end with a snap hook 3, and at the other with a plate 4. The plate 4 is an angle plate and is provided with a transverse enlargement 5 at one end, and with an opening 6 at the other. The enlargement 5 is slotted transverse to the plate, and the end of strap 1 is passed through the slot, turned back on the body of the strap, and riveted or otherwise secured to the body, as indicated at 7. Thus the plate 4 may be described as having a laterally exand the other end of the strap 1 is adapted to be connected with a plate 10 to be described. The said plate is provided, near one side edge, with a pair of alined slots or openings 11 and 12, separated at their inner ends by a portion of the plate, forming'a bar 13. The strap 1 is passed through the slots 11 and 12 and over the bar 13, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, in such manner that the plate may be adjusted longitudinally of the strap, while at the same time there is suflicient friction to prevent accidental displacement of the plate. The plate 10 is provided, at the opposite side from the slots, with a plurality of bearing lugs, 1415 and 16. The lugs 14 and 16 are at the ends of the plate, while lug 15 is near lug 14. A sleeve 17 is held in lugs 15 and 16 and a bolt 18 is slidable in lu 14 and the adjacent end of the sleeve. The bolt 18 has its inner end reduced, as shown at 19, and the reduced portion is connected to a snap hook 20, at the end remote from the bolt. A coil spring 22 encircles the reduced portion, between the shoulder 23 formed by reducing the pin, and a collar 24 in the sleeve 17, at the end adjacent to the snap hook 20. By pulling the snap hook 20 outwardly, the bolt may be withdrawn from bearing 14, and from the space between the said bearing and bearing 15. The plate 10 has a transverse slot 25 between the said bearings, for admitting the portion of the angle plate provided with opening 6, and the said opening is of a size to permit the passage therethrough of the bolt.

The line 2 which is engaged with the ring 8 to which the strap 1 is connected, is provided with a plate 26, having spaced longitudinally alined slots 27 and 28, and a lateral lug 29, provided with an opening 30. The line is passed through the slots 27 and 28, so that the plate may be adjusted on the line.

Vhen in use, the hook 3 of strap 1 is engaged with a ring 8 of the bridle, the plate 10 being in place on the said strap, and plate 26 being in place on the line connected to the said ring. When not in use, hook 20 of the strap is engaged with opening 30 of plate 26, the free end of the strap and plate 4 hanging loosely, as shown in Fig. 2. As strap 1 is short, the hanging portion does not interfere with the harness, nor does it annoy the horse.

To hitch the horse, line 2 is loosened, by drawing it forward. The free end of strap 1 is then thrown around the hitching post 31, bolt 18 is withdrawn from in front of slot 25, and that port-ion of plate 4 having opening 6 is introduced through the slot from the opposite side from the bolt, and the bolt is permitted to engage the opening 6. Hook 20 is engaged with plate 26 in both positions, and plate 10 may be so adjusted on the strap that the strap engages the post tightly or loosely. On the road, the plate may be adjusted to take up the entire length of the strap, if desired.

If desired, that end of the strap to be connected with the bridle can be arranged as shown in Fig. 6. In this construction, the strap 1 is provided at the end remote toward plate t to take up the slack in the strap,:so that there will. be no hanging por tion as shown in Fig. 2. When in use forhitching, the ring 32 may slide as close to the snap hook 34 as desired.

I claim:

1, A device of the character specified, comprising in combination with the bridle and the line connected thereto, a hitch strap provided at one end with a snap hook for enga-gingthe bridle, an angle plate for the stra havin an' o enin at each end one of b b i the openings engaging the other end of the strap, a plate having at one side means for slidably engaging the strap and at the other side a plurality of alined bearing lugs, one

of said lugs being at each end of the plate and the other adjacent to one of the first named lugs, the plate having a transverse slot between the adjacent lugs for receiving the free end of the angle plate, a bolt slidable in the lugs for engaging the opening of the angle plate, a snap hook connected to the opposite end of the bolt from the slot, a spring normally.pressing the bolt in the opposite direction from the snap hook, and

a plate slidable on the driving line and having a lateral lug provided with an opening for engagement by the last-named hook 2. A device of the character specified, comprising in combinationwith the bridle and the line connected thereto, a hitch strap provided atone end with a snap hook for engaging the bridle, an angle plate for the strap having an opening'at each end, one of ,theopenings engaging the other end of the strap, a plate having at one side means for slidably engaging the strap and at the other side a plurality of alined bearing lugs, one of said lugs being at each end of the plate and the other adjacent to one of the firstnamed lugs, the plate having a transverse slot between the adjacent lugs for receiving the free end of the angle plate, a bolt slidable in the lugs for engaging the opening of the angle plate, and a plate slidable on the driving line, the bolt having means for detachably engaging the plate.

3. In combination with the bridle and the driving line, a strap having means at one end for detachably engaging a ring of the bridle, 'a plate slidable on the strap and havinga transverse slot near one end, a bolt on' the plate arranged transversely of the slot, bearings for the bolt on the plate, a spring pressing the bolt toward the slot, a snap hook connected to the opposite end of the bolt' from the slot, and an angle plate connected at one end to the other end of the strap adapted to engage the slot and having an opening for the bolt, and a plate on. the driving line having means for engagement by the snap hook of the bolt.

4. In combination, a strap having means a plate secured to the other end and provided with a lateral lug having a perforation, a plate slidable on the strap intermediate its ends and provided with a transverse slot near one end for receiving the lug, a.

' at one end for detachably engaging a bridle,

from the slot, and means for slidably engaging a driving line and having means for engagment by the hook on the bolt. 7

5. In combination, a hitching member having means at one end for detachably engaging a bridle and having a transverse perforation at the other end, a plate slidable on the said member intermediate its ends, and provided witha transverseslot near one end for receiving the-end ofthe hitching member having the perforation, a-.

bolt slidable on the plate transversely of the slot for engaging the perforation, a spring pressing the bolt toward theslot, a hook connected to the bolt on the opposite end from the slot, and means for slidably engaging a driving line, said meanshaving means for engagement by the hook on the bolt. 7 i

6. In combination, a hitching member having means at one end for engaging the' bridle, said member having an opening near the other end, a plate slidable on the said member and provided near one end with a transverse slot for permitting thepassage of the said hitching member, a bolt slidable on the plate transversely of the slot for engaging the opening at the end of the hitching member, a spring pressing the bolt towar the slot, and means connected with the bolts for engaging a driving line, said means being adjustable on the line.

THEODORE SCHAFER.

\Vitnesses:

CHRISTIAN HASLER, EARL EICHIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

